Intermediate steering shafts in motor vehicle steering systems commonly include a polygonal solid shaft telescopically slidably mounted in a polygonal tubular shaft. Clearance between the solid and tubular shafts for low friction telescopic sliding to facilitate installation of the intermediate steering shaft on a vehicle is also a source of angular lash between the solid and tubular shafts. To reduce angular lash, prior intermediate steering shafts, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,775, issued 9 Apr. 1985 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, include springs which bias a side of the solid shaft against a side of the tubular shaft but which also induce friction which makes installation of the intermediate steering shaft on a vehicle more difficult.